Overview

• Sébastien Lecornu, who resigned earlier in the week, was reinstated Friday and is racing to assemble a cabinet before filing the 2026 budget on Monday under constitutional rules.
• The Rassemblement National and La France Insoumise announced plans for immediate no‑confidence motions, with a first vote possibly coming as early as Thursday.
• Socialists say they could withhold support unless the pension reform is fully suspended, while Les Républicains ruled out joining the government and signaled case‑by‑case backing.
• France faces debt around 114% of GDP, a deficit near 5.8%, and an EU deficit procedure, sharpening disputes over spending cuts versus new taxes on the wealthy.
• Lecornu vows a "free government" not bound by party ambitions and suggests broader inclusion after earlier talks at the Élysée excluded RN and LFI, though two recent premiers already fell over failed budget battles.